This invention relates to gravure plate assemblies.
In pad-type gravure printing, an inked engraving is lifted from an engraved gravure plate by a transfer pad and stamped onto an item to receive an image. A typical gravure plate is a thick steel plate with a lapped top surface. Gravure plates have also been constructed by placing a thinner metal or plastic top plate on a base plate so that only the engraved top plate need be discarded following use. The thinner top plates are often coated with a polymer or epoxy layer into which the engraved image can be etched either chemically or with light. It has been proposed to put a hard rubber coating on a metal base plate and mount a plastic top plate on the hard rubber coating.